Issued by: GCIS
MINISTRY FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
DATE: 08 AUGUST 2000
MINISTER URGES RELIGIOUS, POLITICAL AND TRADITIONAL LEADERS TO ASSIST IN POVERTY ERADICATION AND FIGHT AGAINST HIV/AIDS
The National Minister for Social Development (Formerly Welfare and Population Development) has called on the religious community, the traditional leaders and civil society to work closely together in ensuring tha the welfare services are brought closer and more quicker to the poorest and most needy communities.
"There is an urgent need to ensure that the new and first ever welfare service offices to be opened in Ladysmith serve the elderly, disabled, children and women including those infected or affected by HIV/AIDS more caringly and sensitively."
"It is also important to make sure that the private sector and other community structures reinforce government efforts by building more institutions for welfare nearer to places who need them so as to avoid a situation where the meagre grants on which many families depend on for a living, end up bieng consumed by transport costs." The Minister went on say.
I also implore the Centre to work hard in the fight against HIV/AIDS by providing special attention to orphans of victims of this dreadful desease.
HIV/AIDS is killing and affecting the most impoverished areas and communities with KZN being one of the most affected and we need to unite and come out with effective strategies to prevent it and also treat its victims with care and sensitivity for its victims." The Minister said.
The Minister was speaking at a ceremony to open the first ever Welfare service centre in Ladysmith where a population of over 1 million people has lived for years getting services as far afield as Ulundi.
On his part the KZN MEC for Welfare, Prince Gideon Zulu said: "I want to make this region a beacon of hope and model to others. It is my deep wish to hear nothing about delay backlogs, and queries of shoddy service from this region. The region must be an envy of other regions for its efficiency and quick service delivery to our clientele."
The occasion was attended by the Councillors, Traditional leaders, Non Governmental Organisations, Religious leaders, pension committee members as well as other community leaders.
Minister Skweyiya and MEC Zulu will proceed today (8 August 2000) to visit the Welfare Poverty Eradication Project in Pomeroy worth R160 000 in Pomeroy this afternoon.
Meanwhile, tomorrow, on August 9, (SA Women's Day, ) the Minister and the MEC will visit the poverty eradication projects in Bhambanani, Manyiseni and Kwangwanase.
In Bhambanani, Minister will address a meeting to commemorate the SA National Women's Day at 9:00.
Currently the Minister is on a four-day visit (08-11 August 2000) to KZN where he will visit various poverty eradication projects in areas like the Midlands region, Ulundi, Pietermaritzburg and Durban.
The Minister has already visited the Eastern Cape province and will now proceed to visit the Northern Province and North West provinces over the next two to three weeks.
Enquiries: Mbulelo Musi
Cell: 083-602-5795
ISSUED BY GOVERNMENT COMMUNICATIONS (GCIS) ON BEHALF OF THE MINISTRY FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT